Discount carrier Ryanair is launching a raft of extra flights for its routes to the sun from East Midlands Airport.

The budget airline has added additional flights from the Castle Donnington site to Alicante, Faro, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Malaga, Palma and Tenerife. There will also be another route to Malta from East Midlands following the firm’s decision to launch a debut service in August last year.

City break lovers also have more opportunities to spread their wings and visit the German capital Berlin as the carrier expands its number of flights to the city.

Kenny Jacobs, chief marketing officer for Ryanair, said: “There is a good demand for flying to Malta from the UK, there always has been.

“It works well as a route from several places around the UK. It’s about having a good commercial arrangement at both airports. With East Midlands and Malta there is a good demand on all sides, it makes it easier to get more bums on seats with every flight that you fly.”

The expansion comes as Monarch Airlines prepares to pull out of the airport. Last summer it announced it would stop flying from East Midlands.

Its two aircraft, which fly 34 times a week to nine destinations, including Ibiza, Majorca and Tenerife,will cease operating these services in April.